And he wasn’t alone.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Uri strode into the room and a troop of glowy-winged celestials spilled in behind him. Who were these guys? Where were the Seraphim? And then I caught the ember eyes of one of the celestials, and I knew.
Esmael.
These were the Seraphim, but no longer tainted.
They were somehow restored.
“Stand down,” Uri said to Cain. “Leave this place in peace, and you will not be harmed.”
The Seraphim had the room surrounded, but Cain seemed unperturbed.
He sighed and held his hand up toward Uri, his gaze growing intense. A fizz skated over my mind. Shit, he was trying to get into Uri’s head.
Uri arched a brow. “No, Cain. That won’t work on us. We are the reborn.” His chest glowed orange and then every Seraphim’s torso lit up with the same light. “We are neither of this world or the other. We exist in between. Our minds cannot be altered, and our blood cannot be tainted.”
Cain’s eyes narrowed, and for the first time since I’d known him, his confident stance faltered. “No. This can’t be.”
His jaw tensed, and he made a grab for Samael, but I blur moved knocking Samael out of his reach.
Cain’s bellow of rage shattered my eardrums, and then the room erupted into chaos.
* * *
Keon
Uriel has come through. We have the advantage, and the enemy falls beneath our assault, but Lilith’s order resonates in my mind, and I find myself drawing closer and closer to Fee.
No. I don’t want to do this.
I don’t want to kill her.
A hand closes on my arm, and Lilith hauls me to her. “Now, Keon.” She orders. “Kill her now.”
She spins to counter an attack, leaving me with her reinforced command. Rage infuses my blood, and I propel myself across the room to engage with two super vamps. I can take them both easily, but the order in my mind is a distraction that has me slip up twice. I end them both but walk away bloody and wounded.
I walk right up to Fee as she finishes off a super vamp and turns to me with a triumphant grin. Hunter and Grayson are close by, but they see me with her and return their focus onto the enemy.
No. Don’t you see? I am the enemy. She isn’t safe with me.
Oh god, why do they think she’s safe with me.
“Keon?” She tilts her head to the side. “Are you okay?”
Kill her. Kill her now.
I grip my blade tighter. “Fee…” My voice is strained. “I…”
Her eyes widen. She knows. She knows what I am about to do.
There’s a shadow behind her. A super vamp with a sword, and it’s arching toward her neck.
Let her die.
“NO!”
With every last ounce of will I can muster, I shove her to the side and take her place. The blade pierces my heart, burning, rending, tearing, and Lilith’s voice is finally silent.
* * *
Fee
No…
I watched Keon fall, only distantly aware of the others coming toward me and taking down the super vamp who’d struck him. I reached for Keon, grabbing him as he fell, trying to staunch the blood pumping from the wound in his chest.
So much blood.
“Keon. No.”
His mouth moved in a whisper. I leaned in to hear.
“I can’t kill you,” he said. “I would rather d—”
I looked at his face, his beautiful, blue face. But the eyes that had burned with feeling were empty and cold.
Keon had saved my life by giving up his own
Lilith had given the order, and he’d thwarted her.
Lilith…
The rushing in my ears, blocking out the cacophony of the room, was replaced by a burning in my chest as I locked eyes on Lilith across the room.
“You did this.” My voice was a whisper yet the whole room was suddenly silent. “You did this.” Not my voice. Too gruff, too loud, like the voice of a titan filled with vengeance. “He didn’t need to die.”
“Seraphina…” Samael held up his hands to placate me.
“You ordered him to kill me.”
Samael’s hands drooped to his sides, and he turned to Lilith in horror.
The rage inside me swelled. “This is wrong, and the price must be paid.” The words echoed through me from a place deep inside connected to the righteous blaze. I was no longer in control, because Keon was dead. My Keon was dead, and all who had hurt him would pay.
“No, Fee!” Azazel cried. “You need to shut it down or it will kill you.”
But it was too late. The power had me. The blast burned through me, searing me, tearing my insides and bringing the coppery taste of blood to my mouth, and then the world went white.
My knees hit the ground as the dazzle faded. My vision blurred and darkened.
Dead.
She had to be dead now.
But even though the ashy remains of the super vamps that rained around her, Lilith was whole and protected in Samael’s arm. A blue shimmer radiated around them.
He’d shielded her. Protected her.
“No!” The flame rose again.
“Stop!” Samael demanded. “Lilith’s the only one who can bring him back.”
Bring him back?
The flame didn’t care. It wanted out.
“Lilith can save him,” Samael shouted. “Shut it down.”
Fire in my throat, behind my eyes, and in my blood. I tamped down, pushing back against the power with every last iota of will. My scream was a banshee wail and then there was blessed numbness.
The flame was out.
I fell forward, bracing myself on my palms, slick and sweaty against the marble tiles.
Azazel hauled me into his arms. “Fee. Oh fuck, Fee.”
I coughed and blood spattered his face.
“Sorry.” The word was a gurgle.
Cora wiped my mouth. “You’re okay,” she said thickly. “You’re going to be okay.” But her eyes said different.
“Keon.” I turned my head to look down at the daemon. “Fix him.”
Samael propelled Lilith across the room and pushed her to her knees beside Keon.
“Bring him back,” he ordered.
Lilith let out a strangled sob.
“Bring back your son,” Samael ordered again.
Her head snapped up. “You know?”
“I’ve always known. I chose to let you pretend. You have much to answer for Lilith, but first you’ll pay the Gateman and bring back your son.”
“Keon’s my brother?” Azazel sounded stunned.
Lilith reached out to touch Keon’s cheek with trembling fingers, and the veil of confidence and granite that encased her melted. The lines on her face softened, and her mouth quivered.
Her shoulders heaved in shuddering sob. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m so sorry.”
She pressed her palm to his cheek and closed her eyes.
* * *
Keon
The man leans up against his bike and studies his nails. The purple bus idles at the curb by the bus stop.
“Who are you again?” I ask the man.
“A friend.” He says. “It’s not often we get the likes of you come this way. The last one was a few centuries ago. You look a lot like him.”
“Who am I?”
“My friend,” the man says.
This doesn’t feel right, but my mind is confused, and I can’t simply sit at this bus stop all day.
“So…” The man jerks his head toward the bike. “You want to come for a ride?”
I take a step toward him.
“Stop!”
A woman appears out of the darkness. Alabaster skin and dark hair. She’s beautiful, and my heart stirs for her.
The man groans but then gets a look at the woman and straightens. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the queen of the damned herself. And to what do I owe this… Wait a second.” He looks at me then back at t
he woman. “This one’s yours, isn’t he?”
Hers?
“I want him back,” she says. “I need him back.”
The man sucks on his teeth. “You’re willing to pay the price? Are you sure he’s worth it?”
She looks at me and there’s warmth in her eyes… Love and regret.
“He was always worth it,” she says. “It’s I that must prove my worth.” She takes a deep breath and turns to the man. “Leave me enough time to make amends.”
The man seems to consider this then nods and holds out his hands. The woman takes them and then my world is filled with light.
* * *
Fee
Lilith’s eyes remained closed for long seconds, and the air began to vibrate with a strange hum. Something was happening. Gray streaks appeared in Lilith’s hair and fresh lines materialized on her elfin face.
She was aging.
Whatever she was doing was aging her.
I looked at Samael. He watched her with a strange dispassion that was almost cold. I got the impression he’d forgive her a lot but trying to kill his daughter wasn’t one of those things.
Lilith pulled back her palm with a ragged sigh and swayed. Conah caught her, but I didn’t care about her.
I cared about Keon.
Why wasn’t he waking up?
I slipped out of Azazel’s arms and onto the ground beside the daemon. “Come on.” I stroked his face. “Please come back to me.”
A fresh cough wracked my body, and I covered my mouth to stem the spray of blood.
“Fee.” Azazel cupped my shoulders, his tone ragged. “Oh god.”
I was tired, so tired, and I needed to sleep, but first I needed to look into Keon’s gorgeous cat eyes and know he was safe.
Like the answer to a a prayer he opened them and focused on me.
He was alive. He was…
Darkness claimed me.
* * *
“Come on, wake up. Dammit. Fee!” Mal’s words were cut off by a sob.
“Try again,” Azazel said.
“It won’t work. I can’t heal her.” Uri’s voice was thick with emotion.
“The Tribus bond is weakening,” Grayson said. “I can feel her slipping away.”
“I can’t channel power to her,” Hunter added.
I was dying.
My body was shutting down. I could feel it. The righteous power was silent, gone now that it wouldn’t be able to use my body. Fuck. This sucked.
I surfaced to find the people I loved around me. Azazel, Mal, Grayson, Hunter, Uri, Keon and Cora. Her face was tear-streaked, but her mouth was a determined line.
“Fee, you have to fight it, please,” she said. “You need to—” She sucked in a sharp breath and pressed a hand to a chest. “Oh god. Fee, please don’t leave me.”
I felt it then, just like at the Keep when I’d sensed her. I felt our unique connection. The one that had been there for so long we’d both taken it for granted. I felt it fracture and begin to unravel, and I sensed the dark waters lapping at me, eager to drag me under.
“Fee, please.” Cora gripped my hand and squeezed.
I wanted to squeeze back but my fingers refused to work.
Cora shook her head, dislodging tears from her lashes.
“Hey…” My voice was dry and weak. “It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.”
“Not without you.” She broke into soft sobs, and Mal put his arm around her, his eyes bright with tears of his own.
Pain ripped through me, followed by a cold numbness. I wanted to say goodbye properly but there was no time.
I needed to know they were safe. “Cain…Where is he?”
“The Seraphim have him,” Uri said, his tone thick with emotion “He can’t get away, and Mammon is locked up. The Underealm is safe, Fee.” He touched my cheek lightly. “Oh, Fee…”
They were safe. I wanted to close my eyes and revel in his touch, but I was afraid if I did that they’d never open again. I kept them open and drank in the faces of my lovers, my best friend, my family.
They were safe.
I could go in peace. My heart ached with the knowledge that I could do nothing else.
“Fee…” Keon’s cat eyes brimmed with tears.
I focused on him now, blinking to push away the darkness that was eating away at my vision.
He was whole and alive.
It was time to let go. “I’m okay. I just need to know you guys will be okay.”
Cora covered her mouth to catch the tears that spilled down her cheeks.
Azazel made a sound that was pure pain. “Oh god. I feel it,” he said. “Fee, please don’t go.”
Mal leaned in and pressed his lips to my temple, and his warm tears kissed my icy skin.
I didn’t want to go. I wanted to stay. I wanted to stay so bad it hurt, but it was time.
The waters began to slide over my limbs, icy and eager.
“She’s not going anywhere.” Samael said.
The guys parted to let him through. He crouched and took my hand in his. I caught sight of Conah behind him, and there was someone else too…
Cain?
Hunter growled and Azazel clutched me tighter to him.
“It’s okay,” Conah said. “We have a plan.”
“Fee.” Samael stroked my cheek. “There’s a way to save you.” He looked at Azazel. “Do you remember our conversation in the library about the mark?”
Azazel sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh god. Yes.”
Samael’s smile was beatific. “Conah reminded me there was a way to give Cain what he wanted and save your life in the process. You can live. You can live forever if you chose to.”
Samael moved aside as Cain took his place. His gray eyes roved over me. “Will you take this burden, sister? Will you set me free?” He exposed his mark and held it up to me like an offering.
“You can take the mark,” Azazel said. “Fee, take it. Please.”
Cain wanted to die because he’d lost all the people he loved. But me? I was surrounded by love. By my people.
Fuck you, death. You’re gonna have to wait. “Yes. Yes, I’ll take it.” I covered the mark with my palm.
I had a shit load of living to do.
Epilogue
One week later
Fee
I stood on my balcony, looking out at the Keep grounds. Demons dotted the landscape below, working on restoring the ruined earth. Tractors and rubble-shifting vehicles worked alongside them, but it would be months before Imperium was put to rights. We’d decided to stay awhile to help restore the peace and calm the citizens, but for me it was more than that. I wanted to be close to Samael, to spend time with him and…Keon.
After Lilith brought him back from the dead and everyone discovered his true heritage, Keon vanished.
I had no idea where he was, and every day that went by without his return opened up an emptiness in my heart.
“What are you thinking?” Mal wrapped his arms around me from behind and pulled me against his chest. “Keon?”
“I just need to know he’s okay.”
“I’m sorry,” Mal said. “I should have been kinder to him. His actions weren’t his own. They weren’t his choice but loving you… That was.”
My chest ached. “It’s not your fault. It’s Lilith’s.” I sighed. “And she’s paying the price.”
Bringing Keon back cost Lilith her immortality. She was aging, and she would die. She had amends to make, but with Keon gone she wasn’t able to do that.
“Maybe we should head back to the human world once Azazel gets back from his hunting trip,” Mal said softly. “I’ve sent scouts out to look for Keon, and if they find him, we can come back for him.”
He was right. We couldn’t stay here forever. We still had reaper duties in Necro. There were still dead to be delivered to the Beyond.”
I nodded, suddenly exhausted. “Yes. We can leave when Azazel gets back.”
* * *
Keon
The tavern is a shit hole, but the ale is good, and they don’t have a problem serving daemons. A female with silvery blonde hair and a curvaceous figure walks past and my heart leaps into my throat.
Fee?
But she turns her head to the side, and I catch her profile.
Not Fee.
What the fuck is my problem?
I left to get away from her, from everything. From the pitying eyes and the knowledge that my prior actions will never allow me to be with the woman I love.
I murdered Azazel’s lovers. Every single one. He will never allow me to be with Fee, and I don’t deserve to be. These hands… I hold them up to my face. These hands have taken too many innocent lives in the name of a queen who chose not to love her son.
I pick up my tankard and am about to take a swig when the chair next to me is pulled back with a scrape and a figure settles into it.
My nostrils flare and then every muscle in my body tenses
“Hello, brother,” Azazel says. “I’m not here to fight.”
Fuck. “Why did you find me?”
“We have unfinished business,” he says.
“I’m not fighting you.”
“Just as well, because you’d lose.”
I snort. “I let you win the last time.”
A sigh. “I know.”
I meet his eyes for the first time and note the dark circles beneath them and the weary lines on his face. “What are you doing here, Azazel? I’d have thought you would gather Fee and go back to the human world by now. I thought you’d be glad to have me out of the picture.”
“Maybe I’d have been glad before...” He takes a deep breath. “Before you saved her life at the cost of your own and before I found out we were kin.”
“You want to play happy families?” I sneer at him, battling the hope that blooms in my chest at his words, and fighting the craving for family that I’ve denied myself all these years. “You want to embrace… this?” I indicate my daemon form. “Hmmm?”
Reaper Unleashed: Deadside Reapers: Book 7 Page 26